WHAT DO YOU HEAR? (GIVE THEM A BETTER PLACE TO DIE)

One Foot by Fun.

I'm standing in Brooklyn just waiting for something to happen.

I can't help but look thinking that everyone doesn't get it.

To my left there's a window

Where did I go?

My reflection just blends into rows of coats

And bad ideas, but ideas nonetheless and so

I put one foot in front of the other one. (Oh oh oh!)

I don't need a new love or a new life just a better place to die.

I put one foot in front of the other one. (Oh oh oh!)

I don't need a new love or a new life just a better place to die.

I put one foot in front of the other one. (Oh oh oh!)

I don't need a new love or a new life just a better place to die.

I happen to stumble upon a chapel last night.

And I can't help but back up when I think of what happens inside.

I got friends locked in boxes, that's no way to live.

What you call a sin isn't up to them.

After all, after all I thought we were all your children,

But I will die for my own sins thanks a lot.

We'll rise up ourselves thanks for nothing at all,

so up off the ground, our fore fathers are nothing but dust now.

I put one foot in front of the other one. (Oh oh oh!)

I don't need a new love or a new life just a better place to die.

I put one foot in front of the other one. (Oh oh oh!)

I don't need a new love or a new life just a better place to die.

Maybe I should learn to shut my mouth.

I am over twenty-five and I can't make a name for myself some nights I break down and cry

I'm lucky that my father's still alive he's been fighting all his life

and if this is all I'll ever know then may his soul live on forever in my song.

I put one foot in front of the other one. (Oh oh oh!)

I don't need a new love or a new life just a better place to die.

I put one foot in front of the other one. (Oh oh oh!)

I don't need a new love or a new life just a better place to die.

In front of the other one

In front of the other one

Just a better place to die

 
 
I've always loved his lyrics, ever since Freshman year of college. But back then he was the frontman of a band from Arizona called The Format. Their album, Interventions And Lullabies, was our anthem. The only problem was we were Christian.
 
I say it was a problem because his lyrics moved us--they were honest, well written, and had themes of faith, but they weren't always...let's say pro Christian themes of faith.
 
Whether you are listening to his lyrics from years ago, or his current hits with his newly famous band Fun. ...you can't help but feel he was raised with faith. And his lyrics feel like he has been and still is trying to come to terms with how he was raised and with what he has and is experiencing faith to actually be. And if you are an honest Christian, you can relate to that. I know I can.
 
I know that I'm so thankful I questioned the faith I was raised with, because had I not, I wouldn't know God the way I do now. I wouldn't have the relationship I have with Him now. I wouldn't know what life is all about or why we suffer or anything but the "read by rote" basics.
 
I also believe God wants us to ask the big questions. He wants us to be honest with Him. You have to when you are in a relationship. You have to talk, question, listen, and be honest. If you are angry because you feel lonely, tell Him. Think of it this way, since we usually don't, if it's what you would do with a friend, relative, co-worker, close family member, husband, wife, significant other when there is "trouble" why aren't we doing the same with God?
 
Have you read the Psalms or Lamentations lately? Job? Any of the Bible really? They don't always go around trusting God. They yell, scream, cry, cry out, blame, accuse, and get it wrong. But that's ok, because they are working out and working through their faith and relationship with God. And that's what He wants: you to try to figure this life out WITH Him.
 
Look, I know specifically what he is saying in the lyrics above, and look, I'm not trying or going to take this blog to a controversial place. That's not why those lyrics are up there. I do not want to discuss and argue over God's opinion of the LGBT community because, well, I can't tell you what God's opinion is--I'm not Him! I do believe God loves everyone, and I mean everyone. And I will leave that at that for now.
 
What I am trying to do is explain why I love and resonate with this song and these lyrics. Why I was intrigued by and emotionally connected to his lyrics back in college and why I still am now.
 
His lyrics are real. His questions are real. His frustrations are real. And that's all God wants from us. To be real with Him so we can have a relationship with Him.
 
I can see King David having a gay friend and crying out in the night and singing these lyrics--singing this song.
 
But as Christians, we don't think like that much. We would normally hear this song and dismiss it as heresy, blasphemy...all I'm saying, all I'm asking, is for you to look deeper. And take a closer look at the bible! It's not all neat and clean and perfect and wrapped up in a bow. It's real. It's honest. Full of sex, adultery, blood, tears, lies, betrayal, murder...it's real, flawed people trying to get to know God and what that means--just like us.
 
And this song...it would find a home in God's book. I honestly believe that. I honestly believe God hears this guy's cry and prayer through this song and is trying to connect to him. It fits right in with His message. You just got to see things His way, with His eyes and perspective, not the one you think He has or should have.
 
And when you do, you will hear a song like this, and go: "hmmm". And instead of immediately dismissing it because it seems like it has no place in the church, you will look deeper, and ask "why?". Why does this song grab my attention? Why am I drawn to these lyrics? What does he really mean? And what would God actually think? And by doing so, you might just learn to better understand who you are and how you really feel, who God is and how He really feels, and who these people are that almost seem like they want to be God's children, if only God's children represented Him a little better.
 
To me, these lyrics, and his older ones, scream and bleed of a kid who wishes that what Christianity was supposed to be, what it tries to say it is, actually was true. Instead of this stereotypical, hypocritical crowd of flawed believers we have come to be.
 
You know, a kid who wishes we were the kind of people and followers of Christ who wouldn't immediately dismiss this song, but would instead hear God's child's heart breaking and they would know they wanted and needed to do something about it.
 
So...what do you hear? And what will you do about it?
 
Can we, together, one foot in front of the other one, one step at a time...
 
Can we give them a better place to die?
 
 
 
 

Posted with Blogsy